1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electronic circuits, and more specifically, to CMOS drivers.
2. Background
Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (CMOS) drivers are commonly used today in a wide variety of electronic applications. A CMOS driver is well known in the art and generally includes a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (PMOS transistor) connected in series with an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOS transistor). The source of the PMOS transistor may be coupled to a power supply, and the source of the NMOS transistor may be coupled to the power supply return. The drains of the two transistors may be coupled together and the output taken from the common drain. The gates of the two transistors may also be tied together and driven rail-to-rail.
Various challenges exist in the design of CMOS drivers. By way of example, CMOS drivers may experience shoot-through current during output transitions, resulting in increased power consumption. “Shoot-through current” is an undesirable effect which may result if both the PMOS and NMOS transistors are on at the same time. To reduce shoot-through current, some CMOS drivers may include a break-before-make circuit. The break-before-make circuit may be used to control the gate inputs to the CMOS driver individually so that the currently driven transistor is turned OFF (break) before the other transistor is turned ON (make). Unfortunately, the break-before-make circuit may compromise the speed of the CMOS driver. Moreover, the break-before-make circuit may itself experience shoot-through current.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a high speed CMOS driver with low power consumption. This may be achieved with circuitry designed to minimize the potential for shoot-through current without significantly slowing down the operation of the CMOS driver.